©2020 | Easton | The Taking Sides Collection | 17pp
YES: David R. Franz, from "The Dual Use Dilemma: Crying Out for Leadership", Saint Louis University Law Journal (2013)
NO: Robert Gatter, from "Regulating Dual Use Research to Promote Public Trust: A Reply to Dr. Franz", Saint Louis University Law Journal (2013)
David R. Franz argues that “when rules for the few become too disruptive to the work of the many, communities of trust can break down.” Exceptional research leaders create a culture of responsibility in which safety rulebooks can be thin and their laboratories will be safer, more secure, and more productive. Government regulation leads to thicker rulebooks and more wasted effort without increasing safety and security. Robert Gatter argues that the research enterprise must be trustworthy to the public at large. Because scientists share a bias in favor of discovery rather than public safety, they cannot be trusted to regulate themselves. Government regulation is essential.